Boiler



NOV. 11, 1958 c, BALTQN I 2,859,736

' BOILER Filed June 1, 1954 v 2 Sheets-Sheet l IN VEN TOR.

ATTOP/VEYS United States BOILER Charles Anastase Balton, Buffalo, N. Y. Application June 1, 1954, Serial No. 433,539

5 Claims. (Cl. 122-118) This inventionrelates to a boiler and more particularly to a steam generating boiler adapted for use with any fuel, including atomic fuels.

One of the principal objects of the invention is, to provide such a boiler which can be made of standard commercially available parts thereby to permit of the production of such boilers at a low cost.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a boiler which is extremely compactwith reference to its steam generating capacity.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a boiler which has high thermal efiiciency and in which in particular there is rapid movement of both the water and the products of combustion past the heat transfer surfaces.

Another object is to provide such a boiler in which the flue gases in particular are adequately baffled to prevent short circuiting and loss through escape of heat to the flue.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a boiler which is adequately insulated and at the same time has its flue gas surfaces quickly and easily avail able for cleaning. 7

Another object is to provide such a boiler in which the generated steam is so baflied as to be superheated.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and drawings in which:

'Fig. 1 is a vertical central section through one form of steam generator embodying the present invention.

Figs. 2-5 are horizontal sectional views taken on the correspondingly numbered lines on Fig. l. I

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the internal baffle struc ture employed to direct the products of combustion to traverse a circuitous path among the boiler tubes.

The numeral 15 represents a globular combustion chamber preferably made of two identical bell-shaped sheet metal halves 15a and 15b welded along their mating edges as indicated at 16. A relatively large hole 18 is provided in one side of this combustion chamber .15, half of this hole being in the section 15a and the other half being in the section 15b. In this hole 18 is fitted ice t The upper section 15a of the combustion chamber 'is provided in its summit with a circular opening 28 in which is fitted and welded a vertical sheet metal uptake flue tube 29 which extends upwardly from the combustion chamber. The upper end of this vertical uptake .flue tube 29 fits in and is welded to the margin of an opening 30 in the bottom of a globular flue gas return or plenum chamber 31. This globular upper or return chamber for the 'flue gases is preferably made of two identical bell-shaped halves 31a and 31b welded along their mating edges as indicated at 32. The upper or crown half 31a is imperforate but the lower half 31b of this chamber 31 is shown as having a pair of holes 33 disposed on opposite sides of the flue tube 29 and in each of which holes 33 is fitted and Welded a return or downtake flue tube 34.

These downtake tubes project downwardly and are fitted and welded in openings or holes 35 in the bottom of a globular upper chamber or steam chest 36 of the boiler. This globular upper chamber or steam chest of the boiler is preferably made of three sections, namely an upper bell-shaped sheet metal section 36a, a lower inverted bell-shaped sheet metal section 3612, and a cylindrical intermediate sheet metal section 36c. The upper edge, of the intermediate cylindrical section 360 is welded to the depending rim of the upper bell-shaped section 36a as indicated at 38. The lower edge of the intermediate cylindrical section 36c is welded to the upstanding rim of the lower bell-shaped section 36b as indicated at 39.

The dome provided by the upper section 36a of the steam chest is provided with a central opening 40 in which is fitted and welded an internally threaded bushing 41 into which is screwed the nipple 42 of steam piping 43.

The. generator is designed to operate with water partly filling the upper or steam chest 36 to the level indicated in Fig. 1 and as indicated by the sight glass 44 of a liquid level gage 45 connected with this steam chest. At the water level, the rim of a dome-shaped steam batfle 46 is welded to the interior of the central tubular section 36c of the steam chest. This steam baflle 46 arches or domes upwardly in spaced, generally conforming relation to the upper half 31a of the globular upper or ret-urnchamber 31 for the flue gases.

It will be seen that in the steam chest 36 the parts form awater chamber in the space 48 under and around the' side of the return flue gas chamber 31, a steam superheating space 49 between the dome 31a of this flue gas chamber 31 and the steam baffle 46, and a large steam space 50 above this steam baflle 46. The steam and Welded a tubular or cylindrical inlet neck 19 through i which ignited air and fuel is admitted to the combustion chamber 15 by means of any suitable gas, oil or other fuel burner (not shown) which has its discharge end arranged in the inlet neck 19. A hole 20 is provided in the side of the combustion chamber opposite the inlet neck 19 and in this hole 20 is fitted and welded a tubular or cylindrical observation neck 21. In this observation neck 21 is fitted a closure or cap 22 made in the form of a metalshell lined with fire clay or fire,

25' of any suitable form can be pivoted to'the shell22 tobe swingable over the peep hole 24.

baffle 46 :is provided at its crown with an outlet opening 51 arranged under the steam outlet nipple 42 and the steam escaping through this opening 51 is deflected laterally to the sides of the upper steam space 50 by a baffle 53'. This baflle 53 is preferably funnel-shaped as shown with its rim supported on legs or posts 54 rising from the steambalfle 46 around the opening 51. It will be seen that the funnel-shaped baflle 53 prevents short' circuiting of; the steam from the opening 51 directly to thesteam-outlet nipple 42. Any entrained water carried into the steam chamber 50 and collecting on the walls of this chamber returns through holes 55 in the steam baflle 46 near the lower rim thereof.

The bottom wall of the lower section 36b of the upper chamber or steam chest 360 forms an upper tube sheet through which the upper ends of downcomer water tubes 58 extend and are welded. The lower ends of these water tubes extend through and are welded to the lower tube sheet formed by the dome-shaped upper section 601201? a water chamber 60 surrounding the combus- 'tion chamber 15. This water chamber 60 has a lower inverted dome-shaped section 60b. The downturned rim of the lower section 60a is welded, as indicated at 61, to the upper rim of a tubular or cylindrical central section 60c of the water chamber 60, and the upturned rim of the lower section 60b is welded, as indicated at 62, to the lower rim of the cylindrical central section 60c.

This lower section 60b is provided in its bottom with the enclosure of the flue gas space 84. The doors 86 a hole 63 in which is fitted and welded an internally 5 threaded bushing 64. The nipple 64 of the water supply piping 65 is screwed into this bushing. The inlet neck 19 to the combustion chamber 15 extends through an oversize opening 66 in the central section 60c of the water chamber 60 and in this opening 66 is fitted The p vertical flue tube 29 in closely spaced relation thereto and connecting the upper and lower tube sheets provided by the dome-shaped sections 3611 and 60a, respectively, and providing an upcomer tube providing communication between the lower water chamber 60 and g the steam chest 36. A dome-shaped batfle 72 has a central opening fitting the lower end of the upcomer tube 71 and extending outwardly and downwardly in' closely spaced conforming relation to the dome-shaped upper section 15a of the combustion chamber 15.

The steam generator is supported on a base ring 73 supported by legs 74 and supporting the rim of the bottom section 60b of the water chamber 60. This base ring 73 supports a circular sheet metal bottom 75 which in turn supports a layer of insulation 76 against the ,v

bottom wall of the water chamber 60. This base ring 73 also supports the tubular sheet metal cover shell 78 the upper rim 79 being turned inwardly to engage the upper extremity of the shell of the water chamber 60. A layer 80 of insulation is interposed between the cover shell 78 and the wall of the water chamber 60.

The steam chest 36 also has an insulated jacket. This includes a dome-shaped sheet metal cover shell 81 enclosing the top and sides of the steam chest 36 and connected to the lower extremity of this steam chest'by a ring 82. A layer 83 of insulating material is interposed between the cover shell 81 and the steam chest 36.

The flue gases pass through the space 84 surrounding the downcomer tubes 58 and the upcomer tube 71. This space is enclosed by a section 85 which forms a fixed side for this space 84 and by a pair of semicylindrical doors 86 hinged to this fixed side 85 andcompleting the enclosure of the space 84. It will be seen that upon swinging open the hinged semicylindrical doors 86 the exterior of all of the tubes 58 and 71 are fully exposed for cleaning.

The fixed section 85 has quadrantal top and bottom pieces 88, 89 which can be welded to the upper and lower tube sheets formed by the sections 36b and 60a, respectively. These top and bottom pieces carry a sheet metal shell 90 filled with insulating material 91. The sheet metal shell 90 is of quadrantal form in horizontal section and the horizontal flue 92 extends through a circular opening 93 through the inner andouter walls of the sheet metal shell 90 and the insulating material 91 therein.

Each semicylindrical door 86 is filled with an insulating material 94 and comprises inner and outer semicylindrical walls 95, 96 connected at their margins by a rim 98. Each door is hinged, as by hinges 99, to swing about vertical axes with their outer ends coming into closed mating relation to each other tocompletc can be fastened closed by a fastener shown as comprising a swing bolt 100 pivoted to an car 101 projecting from the free end of one of the doors 86 and swingable horizontally to between a pair of ears 102 projecting from the free end of the other door. The fastening is completed by a knurled nut 103 on the swing bolt 100 and which screws against the ears 102.

To prevent short circuiting of the flue gases through the chamber 84 to the flue 92, a bafile 105 is provided which compels the flue gases to travel a circuitous path in traveling through this chamber. As best shown in Figs. 1, 4 and 6 this baflle comprises an upper semicircular section 106 arranged directly under one of the flue gas tubes 34 and having a series of holes 108 closely fitting the corresponding downcomer tubes 58. This baflle 105 also has a pair of vertical rectangular side pieces 109 the opposite vertical edges of each of which is in closely fitted relation to the upcomer tube 71 and the inner face of the doors 86. The lower ends of these side pieces 109 connect with a second semicircular section 110 which projects in the opposite direction from the section 106 and is provided with oversize holes 111 for the downcomer tubes 58. A third semicircular section 112 is arranged in vertical alinement with the section 106 and is provided with oversize holes 113 for the same downcomer tubes 58 which pass snugly through the holes 108.

I In the operation of the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1-6, fuel and air or atomic fuel are projected through the inlet neck 19, as by a burner (not shown), into the global combustion chamber. The flame or corona can be observed through the peep hole 24 upon opening of the shutter 25. The burning fuel heats the walls 15a and 15b of the combustion chamber to a high temperature and the high temperature products of combustion escape from the combustion chamber upwardly through the flue gas tube 29 the walls of which are also heated a a high temperature. The flue gases still at high temperature enter the global upper flue gas or plenum chamber 31 and heat the walls 31a and 31b thereof to a correspondingly high temperature. From the global upper chamber 31 the flue gases escape downwardly through the necks 34 into the chamber 84 where these gases come into contact with the exterior of both the downcomer water tubes 58 and the upcomer water tube 71. In passing through the chamber 84 the flue gases are forced to travel a circuitous path. Thus the upper horizontal semicircular part 106 of the baffle 105 forces all flue gases to pass downwardly along the opposite side of the chamber 84 where they are forced to pass through the oversize holes 111 of the lower semicircular section 110 of the bafile 105 and in intimate or scrubbing contact with the downcomer tubes which also occupy these holes 111. At the bottom of the chamber 84 the gases now pass to the opposite side of this chamber where they escape upwardly through the oversize holes 113 of the intermediate semicircular section 112 of the baffle 105 and in intimate or scrubbing contact with the downcomer tubes which also occupy these holes 113. The spent flue gases are now in the chamber formed by the semicircular sections 105 and 112 of the baflle 105 as well as the rectangular vertical parts 109 thereof and escape through the flue 92.

The flue gas side of the downcomer and upcomer water tubes 58 and 71 can readily be kept clean by loosening the nut 103 (Fig. 4) and swinging out the q swing bolt 100. This frees the two semicylindrical doors thisw-ater chamber the water is trapped below the bellshaped baffle 72 and in intimate contact with the top of the combustion chamber 15. The so trapped, water heats rapidly and rises in the upcomer central tube 71 where in the form of a thin cylindrical film or layer it is exposed on its inside to the hot gases-rising through the central flue gas tube 29 and on its outside to the gases passing through the chamber 84 on the way to the flue 92. This geysers the water and steam up into the steam chest 36 where the steam escapes from above the level of the water and passes in contact with the top of the dome section 31a of the plenum chamber 31 for the flue gases and is superheated and the entrained moisture therein vaporized. This superheating and vaporization of the entrained water is facilitated by the domeshaped baflfle 46 which causes the escaping steamto pass in intimate contact with the top of the flue gas plenum chamber 31 to escape through the opening 51.

The steam so escaping through this opening 51 into the steam chamber 50 is deflected laterally by the funnelshaped baffle 53 so that any remaining entrained water is directed against the side walls of this chamber 50 from which it escapes through the holes 55 in the baffle 46. The superheated dry steam escapes through the nipple 42 into the steam piping 43.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the present invention accomplishes the various objects set forth in a simple, compact and low cost steam generating boiler.

I claim:

l. A boiler, comprising a shell providing a combination chamber having an inlet, a shell providing a flue gas return chamber and arranged directly above said combustion chamber, a relatively long, generally vertical flue gas tube connecting said shells and providing communication between said chambers to conduct the products of combustion from said combustion chamber to said flue gas return chamber, a shell forming a water chamber surrounding said combustion chamber shell, the upper wall of said combustion chamber shell forming a lower horizontal tube sheet, a shell forming a steam chamber substantially completely surrounding said flue gas return shell, the lower wall of said steam chamber shell forming an upper horizontal tube sheet arranged immediately below said flue gas return shell, a water tube surrounding said flue gas tube and connecting said tube sheets and providing communication between said water chamber and steam chamber, a vertical tubular wall extending between the peripheral portions of said tube sheets and enclosing the space therebetween, a plurality of relatively short vertical downtake flues each connected at its upper end to the lower wall of-said flue gas return chamber shell and at its lower end to said upper tube sheet to be immersed in the fluid in said steam chamber and providing communication between said flue gas return chamber and the space between said tube sheets and thereby discharge the products of combustion from said flue gas return chamber directly downwardly through said downtake flues into said space between said tube sheets, a multiplicity of vertical water tubes arranged in spaced relation to one another in said space between said tube sheets and each connected at its opposite ends to the said tube sheets to provide communication between said water chamber and steam chamber, an outlet flue extending horizontally through said vertical tubular wall to exhaust the products of combustion from said space between said tube sheets, and a horizontal baflle arranged in said space between said tube sheets and interposed between said outlet flue and said downtake flue, said water tubes extending through apertures in said baflle with certain of said apertures being oversized to permit the passage of said products of combustion therethrough and in intimate contact with the corresponding water tubes.

2. A boiler, comprising a shell providing a combustion chamber having an inlet, a shell providing a flue gas return chamber and arranged directly above said combustion chamber, a relatively long, relatively large diameter, generally vertical flue gas tube connecting said shells and providing communication between said chambers to conduct the products of combustion from said combustion chamber to said flue gas return chamber, a shell forming a water chamber surrounding said combusion chamber shell, the upper wall of said combustion chamber shell forming a lower horizontal tube sheet, a shell forming a steam chamber substantially completely surrounding said flue gas return shell, the lower wall of said steam chamber shell forming an upper horizontal tube sheet arranged immediately below said flue gas return shell, a water tube of relatively large diameter surrounding said flue gas tube and connecting said tube sheets and providing communication between said water chamber and said steam chamber, a vertical tubular wall extending between the peripheral portions of said tube sheets and enclosing the space therebetween, a plurality of relatively short vertical downtake flues each connected at its upper end to the lower wall of said flue gas return chamber shell and at its upper end to said upper tube sheet to be immersed in the fluid in said steam chamber and providing communication between said flue gas return chamber and the space between said tube sheets and thereby discharge the products of combustion from said flue gas return chamber directly downwardly through said downtake flues into said space between said tube sheets, a multiplicity of vertical water tubes of smaller diameter than said first water tube arranged in spaced relation to one another in said space between said tube sheets and each connected at its opposite ends to said tube sheets to provide communication between said water chamber and said steam chamber, an outlet flue extending horizontally through said vertical tubular wall to exhaust the products of combustion from said space between said tube sheets, and a baflle arranged in said space between said tube sheets and interposed between said outlet flue and said vertical downtake flues, said water tubes extending through apertures in said baffle with certain of said apertures being oversized to permit the passage of said products of combustion therethrough and in intimate contact with the corresponding water tubes, and said baffle including spaced upper and lower semi-circular sections each extending across the space between the corresponding half of said wall and across the corresponding side of the water tube of relatively large diameter and said baffle also including vertical portions connecting the ends of said semi-circular portions, each of which vertical portions having its opposite vertical edges in close proximity to said wall and water tube of relatively large diameter, respectively.

3. A boiler as set forth in claim 1 wherein said baflle includes a third semicircular portion arranged under said upper semicircular portion and below said outlet flue and with its curved edges substantially in contact with said wall and large water tube and its end edges substantially in contact with said vertical portions of said baffle, and wherein certain of said smaller diameter water tubes extend through apertures in said third semicircular portion with certain of said last apertures oversize to permit the passage of said products of combustion therethrough in intimate contact with the corresponding water tubes.

4. A boiler, comprising a shell having a dome-shaped top wall and said shell providing a combustion chamber having an inlet, a shell providing a flue gas return chamber and arranged directly above said combustion chamber, a relatively long, generally vertical flue gas tube connecting the central part of said dome-shaped top wall of said combustion chamber with the bottom wall of said return gas shell and providing communication between said chambers to conduct the products of combustion from said combustion chamber to said flue gas return chambena shell forming a water chamber surrounding said combustion chamber shell, the upper wall of said water chamber shell forming a lower horizontal tube sheet, a shell forming a steam chamber substantially completely surrounding said flue gas return shell, the lower wall of said steam chamber shell forming an upper horizontal tube sheet arranged immediately below said flue gas return shell, a water tube surrounding said flue gas tube and connecting said tube sheets and providing communication between said water chamber and said steam chamber, a vertical tubular wall extending between the peripheral portions of said tube sheets and enclosing the space therebetween, a plurality of relatively short vertical downtake flues each connected at its upper end to the lower wall of said flue gas return shell and at its lower end to said upper tube sheet to be immersed in the fluid in said steam chamber and providing communication between said flue gas return chamber and said space between said tube sheets and thereby discharge the products of combustion from said flue gas return chamber directly downwardly through said downtake flues into said space between said tube sheets, an exhaust flue extending horizontally through said vertical tubular wall to exhaust the products of combustion from the space between said tube sheets, and a dome-shaped baflie secured under said lower tube sheet and having a central opening in register with said water tube to direct the hot water and steam above the top wall of said combustion chamber shell into said water tube.

5. A boiler, comprising a shell providing a combustion chamber having an inlet, a shell having a dome-shaped top wall providing a flue gas return chamber and arranged directly above said combustion chamber, a relatively long, generally vertical flue gas tube connecting said shells and providing communication between said chambers to conduct the products of combustion from said combustion chamber to said flue gas return chamber, a shell forming a water chamber surrounding said combustion chamber shell, the upper wall of said water chamber shell forming a lower horizontal tube sheet, a

8 shell forming a steam chamber having a dome-shaped top wall and said steam chamber substantially completely surrounding said flue gas return shell, the lower wall of said steam chamber shell forming an upper horizontal tube sheet arranged immediately below said flue gas return shell, a water tube surrounding said flue gas tube and connecting said tube sheets and providing communication between said water chamber and said steam chamher, a vertical tubular wall extending between the peripheral portions of said tube sheets and enclosing the space therebetween, a plurality of relatively short vertical downtake flues each connected at its upper end to the lower wall of said flue gas return shell and at its lower end to said upper tube sheet to be immersed in the fluid in said steam chamber and providing communication between said flue gas return chamber and said space between said tube sheets and thereby discharge the products of combustion from said flue gas return chamber directly downwardly through said downtake flues into said space between said tube sheets, an outlet flue extending horizontally through said vertical tubular wall to exhaust the products of combustion from said space between said tube sheets, and a central steam outlet connected with said dome-shaped top wall of said steam chamber, said dome-shaped top wall of said steam chamber having marginal water return openings therethrough for return of water separated from the steam leaving through the steam outlet.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

